Tool for handling valve springs of automobiles



June 17 1924.

- 7 1,497,700 D. SCHAFF'ER ET AL- TOOL FOR HANDLING VALVE SPRINGS OF AUTOMOBILES Filed Oct. 31. 2

' aw w WITNEbDtfJJ n INV NTORS rrow Y Patented June 17, 1924.

YUNITE' STATES PA ENT OFFICE.

DAVID SCEIAFFER AND PETER E. LYNCH, or rewruoxn'r, RHODE ISLAND.

Application filed October 31, 1922. Serra/i No. 598,093.

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that DAVID SCHAFFER and PETER E. LYNCH, both citizens of the United States, residing at Pawtucket, in the county ofProvidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful- Improvements in Tools for Handling Valve-Springs of Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in tools-forrhandling valve springs of automobiles, and the purpose of our invention is to provide a device by which the valve spring of an automobile may be quicklyand easily compressed. and after compression held in that condition for its ready applicati'onto the engine of an automobile.

We accomplish this purpose by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-- i Figure 1, is a plan viewof our invention.

Figure 2, a vertical view of the same.

Figure 3, a cross-section of a portionof our device together with an elevation of the holding clip.

Figure 4, a side view of the spring compressed and held by the clip, and V Figure 5, a detail of the locking apparatus for holding the spring when compressed;

The same parts are referred to by the same letters throughout the-various views. -In Figure'l, A -Ai is a frame, preferably of metal, channeled or slotted longitudinally, as shown by G, in Figure-1;

' The side members of the frame adjacent to the channel or slot G are of substantially rectangular cross-section, as shown best in Figure 3.

40 a At the extremities of the device are lugs perforated so that the entire device may be bolted securely to a bench or wall. Integral with the frame work and projecting upon one side thereof is the member B, and to this member B is pivoted the hand lever F-f by means of the pin. or bolt E. This lever is itself slotted near H the middle portion thereof, as shown at t, in Figure '1, so as to form a guide for the studr connected with the removable jaw D of the device, as hereinafter described.

Integral with the frame AA and at one end thereof is the fixed jaw D, seen in elevation in Figure 2.

Our device is also provided with the re movable jaw Dshown in Figures 1' and 2, this movable jaw having fixed thereon the stud 9", said stud projecting so as to slidably fit the-slot zf,in the hand lever Ff. This movable jaw D, slides easily upon the face of the frame work AA which is toward the spectator in Figure l, and integral with the stud 'r' is a projecting lug which carries the movable jaw D and slidably fits the slot G of the frame A-A, the stud r being fastened at one end to said lug, and projectingat the other end upon the side farthest from the spectator, in,

of theframe work A-A forms a rack C 7 projecting atright angles to the plane of thernovablc jaw; and integral with said movable jaw is the member X which is in substance a frame work carrying a pawl to engage the rack aforesaid. The member X is best shown in detail in Figure 5-in which X represents the body; L a rod or plunger provided with a handle h for rotating the same and terminating at its lower end in a bevelled or sharpened end L' Z adapted to fit the teeth of the rack C. The member X has a rectangular opening therein and at that partof the rectangular opening nearest the rack C there is a V shaped depression, as shown at V in Figure 5.

The plunger L is provided with a pin 72 at that part of the plunger adjacent to V, and a spiral spring at normally operates to keep the plunger L, with its extremity L, in engagement with the rack C. By means of the bevelled face Z at the lower extremity of the plunger L, the movable jaw D, can be moved readily by means of the handle of the lever arm F-f in the direction which brings the jaws together, but by operation of the spring n, the movable jaw cannot be moved in the reverse direction until released by the plunger L. A quarter revolution of this plunger L by means of the handle it throughthe agency of the pin ,1)

4o :seen that the advantages of-our invention are that th'efspring has a suitable bed to rest and the-V shaped depression V raises the :plungerL, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 5, thus disengaging the movable jaw from the rack, and permitting it to surface of'the' rectangular opening in the 7 member adjacent to V until restored to itslnormal position bythe'reverse movement of the plunger L. F

*As shown by figures '8, the inner corners-10f the side members A A are beveled as shown at @{thus forming a seat for the spring S. A r

'I'When thefspring S has been compressed,

as shown at S in'l igures 1 and 4 it is essmear that -;it should be retained in that 7 position for removal from our device and insertion toits place inthe engine. \Ve provide for this by the clip shown in Figures 3 and i -This clip consists of a handle J with opposed longitudinal side members K+K bent attheir outer ends so as to securely hold the spring'together with the usual washer 'Wi 'It is a very easy mat- V terwhen the spring is held in compression,

as shown at Figure 1, to attach the clip K-K. The clip with its enclosed spring 7 may then be easily moved from the holding frame by releasing *the movable jaw, and may bereadily inserted in its proper place in the engine. 'A quick pull on the handle J disengages the'clip and the spring is thus left in" proper position.

From"theforegoing description it will be upon when placed in the frame work so that jitflwill not'readily"rolloff or be detached therefrom. Also the difficulty met with in many spring "compresser s, of the spring jumping or flying out when the compression is slight,.is overcome by our feature of making the jaws convergent at their outer ends. Another feature is that the plunger L with itshandl e h is in close proximity to the V lever arm I -f and remains so throughout the travel of the movable jaw. As a result of this, both-the handle it and the handle F may be operated at the same time by one hand only of the operator, leaving the other hand freeto hold the spring in place and applyfthe clip; while the operation of the plunger L' with the spring be, the pin p and they-shaped depression V,'furnishes a simpleand effectual means of retaining the movable jaw in engagement or out of engagement with the rack c as the operator may desire 7 Having now described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters iatent is 1. In a device for handling valve sprin s for automobile engines, a longitudinal y slotted frame; a jaw fixed thereon; a movable jaw sliding upon one face of said frame, means for operating said movable jaw connected through said slot, and means for holding said movable jaw in a fixed position with reference to said frame, substantially as described.

2. in a device for handling valve sprin for automobile engines, a longitudinal y slotted frame having a rack upon one of the outside faces thereof; a jaw fixed upon said frame; a second jaw slidably mounted on said frame, said jaws being slightly convergent at their outer ends; a stud r fixed to said movable jaw and sliding in the slot in said frame; a member B attached to said frame; a slotted lever handle pivoted upon the member B and slidably holding the stud 7", and serving to operate the movable jaw aforesaid, and means working in conjunction with said rack and movable aw for holding the latter in any desired position, substantially as set forth.

3. In a device for handling valve springs for automobile engines, a longitudinally slotted frame having a rack upon one of the outside faces thereof; a jaw fixed upon said frame; a second jaw slidably mounted on said'frame, said jaws being slightly convergent at their outer ends; a stud '1' fixed to said movable jaw and sliding in the slot in said frame; a member B attached to'said frame; a slotted lever handle pivoted upon the member B and slidably holding the stud r, and serving to operate the movable jaw aforesaid; a member X integral with said fixed jaw and situated adjacent to the rack aforesaid, and having a transverse opening therethrough provided with a V shaped depression in the floor of said opening; a, handled plunger slidin in said member X, and having its inner end bevelled so as to engage said rack; a spiral spring surrounding said plunger and acting to normall keep said plunger engaged with said rac by means of a pin projecting from each side of said plunger; and a second pin fixed in said plunger, and fitting with the V shaped depression aforesaid; said plunger by a partial turn of the handle thereof operating to disengage itself from the rack aforesaid, thus releasing the movable jaw, substantially as set forth.

l. In a device for handling valve springs for automobile engines, a frame, a jaw fixed upon said frame, a laterally projecting member carried by said frame, a lever pivotally attached to said member, a jaw slidably engaging said frame operatively connected to said lever, and means carried by said slidable jaw co-operating with said frame for permitting free movement of said jaw in one direction only.

5. In a device for handling valve springs for automobile engines, a frame having a 5 longitudinally extending rack formed thereon, a jaw fixed upon said frame, a laterally projecting member carried by said frame,

a lever pivotally attached to said member,

a jaw slidably engaging said frame opera- 10 tively connected to said lever, and a plunger carried by said slidable jaw cooperating with said rack for permitting free movement of said jaw in one direction only.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID SCHAFFER. PETER E. LYNCH. Witnesses EDITH M. BROMLEY, W. CHESTER BEARD. 

